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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29084352">No Sacrifice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/pseuds/Nadja_Lee'>Nadja_Lee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood Has Self-Worth Issues, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Compersion, Declarations Of Love, Emotionally Hurt Alec Lightwood, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Getting Together, Good Parabatai Jace Wayland, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Polygamy, Post-Episode: s02e20 Beside Still Water, Romantic Fluff, Supportive Jace Wayland, Supportive Magnus Bane, Understanding Magnus Bane, the opposite of jealousy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:15:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29084352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/pseuds/Nadja_Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec will always sacrifice for love. The pain he keeps inside. The pain of losing Magnus over the Soul Sword episode, the pain of feeling Jace dying at Lake Lyn. Two men who own his heart and his soul. Sacrifice is all Alec knows. Pain is how he knows he’s still alive. Until one day Magnus and Jace show him that real love is not about sacrifice or pain, but finding joy in seeing your partner's joy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood/Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood/Jace Wayland</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>325</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hunter's Moon 500 Prompts</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>No Sacrifice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polarnacht/gifts">Polarnacht</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Shiva_Adler/gifts">Miss_Shiva_Adler</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Polar as she showed me the prompt word "pain" and encouraged a fic. Fluffy as Hell for a fic on pain because Polar is into a fluffy period she told me. My fic on pain has fluff; the best testament of my love for you, Polar! 😉  💛🤗💖<br/>For Shiva for teaching me about words like compersion.<br/>Thanks so much to my amazing beta readers as always: Cindy and Monochromatize.<br/>Thanks so much to Regina for the great art.<br/>Story warnings: Self-worth issues, mild reference to child abuse and selfharm (like very mild).<br/>Compersion: The opposite of jealousy. Instead of feeling upset or threatened when your partner romantically or sexually interacts with another person, you feel a sense of happiness for them</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>Alec knew that love was pain and sacrifice.</p><p>He had loved Jace always, knowing he would never return his affections. Then Magnus stole his heart. Whereas his love for Jace was defined by bittersweet pain, his love for Magnus was defined by sacrifice in his eagerness to please the Warlock.</p><p>Eventually, both of his loves ended. There were no words to describe the pain Alec had felt when the echo of Jace dying ripped his soul to pieces. He had lost Magnus over the Soul Sword and that loss had almost killed him. Now Jace too was gone. Without them life had no meaning; too painful to endure. But Jace had lived and thus he had lived. Yet Jace was still not his, as always adding pain to his joy.</p><p>Now at the bar to celebrate Valentine’s demise Alec had no Magnus and Jace was forever out of reach. Amidst joyful people Alec was drowning in darkness, the pain in his heart and soul so strong it almost had a physical presence.</p><p>Alec saw Jace and Magnus walk towards him, making him balance between bliss and agony, longing and despair.</p><p>“Magnus,” Alec said, the name a prayer, wishing so badly for a forgiveness he was certain he would never earn.</p><p>“Alec,” Jace greeted with a fond smile that Alec instinctively returned.</p><p>“Darling, I have been thinking,” Magnus said slowly. He paused before adding emotionally, “I understand the situation you were in and I want you to be mine again. But this time forever.”</p><p>“Truly?” Alec asked hopefully.</p><p>Magnus nodded, “Yes.”</p><p>Alec had his arms around Magnus’ neck and his lips pressed against his in record time, beaming with joy while Jace smiled.</p><p>“Jace and I were talking…” Magnus said when they drew apart, stroking Alec’s cheek softly.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I know you still love Jace and that’s ok,” Magnus reassured him quickly when Alec paled in shock. “I confronted Jace about it and discovered he feels the same for you. I therefore asked Jace to move in to the loft with us permanently.”</p><p>Alec was stunned.</p><p>“As….?” Alec asked confused.</p><p>“As yours,” Jace told him affectionately, pulling Alec gently but firmly out of Magnus’ arms and into his own.</p><p>Alec cast Magnus a worried look, but he nodded approvingly and waved encouragingly. The kiss between the parabatai was explosive. When they separated Alec again looked concerned at Magnus but he simple smiled reassuringly.</p><p>“But…Why would you get Jace for me?” Alec asked amazed.</p><p>Alec’s hand found Jace’s and the other Magnus’s, holding on to both as if it were the most natural thing he had ever done. In many ways it was.</p><p>“Because…” Magnus replied with a knowing smile, “Loving you was never a sacrifice. Loving me shouldn’t be either. I’m happy when you are happy.”</p><p>Alec smiled, amazed to discover he was loved by both men whom he adored so dearly.</p><p>Over the years Alec would learn that true love was neither painful nor required a sacrifice of self.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed the story. Would mean a lot to me.<br/>You can read other of my SH stories here (I write Malec, Malace and Jalec): https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/works?fandom_id=6856609</p></blockquote></div></div>
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